Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-09-09
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
The Americnn Cow-no,.

from the original COW boy of Texas New
conditions have produced the change. The
range cattle business of Kansas Nebraska,
Colorado Wyoming, Montana and Dakota
is new business Those engaged in it as
proprietors are chiefly from the states stu
ated east of the Missouri river and north
of the Indian territory. Among them are
also many Englishmen, Scotchmen, French
men and Germans of large means, embrac-
ing titled men who have embarked in the
business quite extensively. Many of these
came to America originally us tourists or
for the purpose Of hunting buifaloes but
the attractiveness of the cattle business ar
rested Them and they have become virtu-
ally, if not through the act of naturaliza-
ton, American herdsmen. Some Of this
class have from the force Of romantic tenn
permanent and the exhilaration of range
life, themselves participated actively in the
duties of the cowboy.
Organization, discipline and order char
acterize the new undertakings ON the north
ern ranges. In word, the cattle business
of that section is now and has from the be
ginning been carried on upon strictly bust
ness principles Under such proprietor
ships, and guided by such methods, new
class Of cowboys have been introduced and
developed. Some have come from Texas,
and have brought with them IA knowledge
of the arts of their calling but the number
from the other states and the territories
constitutes large majority of the whole.
Some are graduates of American colleges,
and others Of collegiate institutions in Eu-
rope. Many have resorted to the occupa-
tion of cowboy temporarily and for the pur-
pose Of learning the range cattle business,
with the view of eventually engaging in it
ON their own account, or in the interest of
friends desirous of investing money in the
enterprise.
The life Of the COW hoy is always one of
excitement and of romantic interest His
waking hours when riding ON trail are
spent in the saddle, and at night he makes
his bed upon the lap of mother earth.
The great herds which are yearly driven
out of Texas to the northern ranges usual
ly embrace from $500 to 1000 young cattle
each, and the movement has since its be
ginning, about Is years ago, amounted to
about ( 900 600 head worth nearly $50 600,
600. Each herd is placed in charge Of "A
boss with from eight to ten COW boys, pro
vision wagon and cook Four horses are
supplied 10 each COW boy, for the duty is an
arduous one. The range cattle when away
from their accustomed haunts are suspicious
and eXctable, and need to be managed with
the greatest care to keep them from STAN
peding. When ION trail they are "close
herded' at nightfall, and all lie down with
in space Of about two acres. The COW
boys then, by watches, ride around them all
night long. The sensible presence of man
seems to give the animals feeling of Sc
curity.
The journey from southern Texas to Mon
tana requires from four to six months.
Herds are also driven from Oregon and
Washington Territory to Wyoming and
eastern Montana. 1t is impossible for one
who has not had actual experience in rid
ing on trail" to imagine the difficulties in
volved in driving II large herd Of wild cat
tie over mountain ranges, across desert
lands where in some cases food and water
are not found for many miles, and where
streams must be crossed which are liable t.
dangerous freshets.
\ large part of the northern ranges i,
embraced in the area which Silas Bent, an
accomplished meteorologist, terms ''the
birthplace of the tornado Thunder and
lightning are here frequent, and they are
especially terrifying to range cattle The
most thrilling incident in the life of the
COW boy occurs ON the occasion Of thun
der storm at night Such an occurrence i,
thus described from personal observation
by Mr. William A. Baillie Grohman, an
English writer:
"On the approach of one Of these vio
lent outbursts the whole force is ordered on
duty the spare horses of which each man
has always three, and often as many "a
eight or ten-are carefully fed and tethered
and the herd is rounded up, that is, col
lected into as small space as possible
while the men continue 10 ride around tn,
densely -massed herd Like horses, cattl,
derive courage from the close proximity o
man. The thunder peals, and the viviC
lightning flashes with amazing brilliancy
as with lowered heads the herd eagerly
watch the slow, steady pace Of the COW
ponies, and no doubt derive from it a com
forting sense of protection. Sometimes
however, wild steer will be unable to con
| trul his terror, and will make dash through
n convenient opening. The crisis is at hand
for the example will surely be followed, an,
in two minutes the whole herd of 1000 hea,
will have broken through the line of horse
men and be away, one surging, believing
mass of terrified beasts. Fancy Il pitch
| dark night, n pouring torrent of rain, th
ground not only entirely strange to tn
men, but very broken and full of danger
ously steep water-courses and hollows, an,
| you will have picture of cow-hoy duty ol
such night, They must head off tn
leaders. Once fairly Off they will STAN
! pede 20, 30 and even 40 miles at a stretch
and many branches will stray from tn
main herd. Not alone the reckless rider
rushing headlong at breakneck pace owe
dangerous ground in dense darkness, bu
also the horses, small, insignificant beasts
but matchless for hardy endurance an,
willingness, are perfectly aware how mucl
depends upon their speed that night, if
kills them. Unused till the last momen
remains the heavy cowhide 'yuirt' or whip
and the powerful spurs with rowels the siz
of five shilling pieces. Urged ON by shout
the horses speed alongside the terrihe'
steers until they manage to reach the lead
ers, when, swinging around and fearless o
horns, they press back the believing brute
! till they turn them. All the men pursuin.
this mannuvre, the headlong rush is a
last checked, and the leaders, painting am
lashing their sides with their tails, ar
brought to a stand, when the whole herd
again rounded up"
Throughout the northern ranges sobriety
self-restraint, decent behavior, and faith
fulness to duty are enjoned upon the COW
boys A great Improvement is also obsery
able in the cowboys of Texas. Deeds O
violence among them are now few. Tn
morale of the entire range and ranch cattl
business of the United States now compare
favorably with that of other large enter
prises.